


Familia

by Deepspacedust



Category: On My Block (TV)
Genre: Angst, Cesar Diaz - Freeform, Death, Diego Tinoco - Freeform, Emotional Hurt, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Heartbreak, Hurt, Loss, On My Block - Freeform, Oscar Diaz - Freeform, Overdose, Pre-Series Cesar Diaz, Pre-Series Oscar Diaz, Ray Diaz - Freeform, Sadness, julio macias - Freeform, santos - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:01:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23166691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deepspacedust/pseuds/Deepspacedust
Summary: A series of one shots involving the Characters from On My Block.
Relationships: Cesar Diaz & Oscar "Spooky" Diaz, Cesar Diaz/Monse Finnie, Jasmine Flores/Ruby Martinez, Oscar "Spooky" Diaz/Original Female Character(s), Ruby Martinez & Jamal Turner
Comments: 6
Kudos: 30





	Familia

Summary: This takes place Pre-Series. After Oscar finds his mother dead, he must figure out what to do next.

For as long as Oscar could remember, it had been just him and Cesar. Even before their father split, he was barely in the picture. When he wasn’t in jail, he was out with the homies, running the streets. The only times he ever saw Ray were on the rare occasions he’d come by the house to crash or if he needed some place to lay low for a couple of days. Their mom wasn’t much different. She was rarely home, and when she was, she wasn’t really there. Oscar lost count of the amount of times he had to clean up dirty needles off the living room floor so that Cesar wouldn’t walk on one, or grab one thinking it was a toy. Oscar loved his mother, though. She hadn’t always been this way. There was a time, before the drugs, before Ray had left, that things had been different. But those times had long since passed, and the memories he had of them felt far away now.

He remembered the day he found her, more vividly than he’d like to admit. Cesar was five at the time, and Oscar had just turned 15. It was sunny out that day. The summer heat was warm on his skin as he held Cesar’s tiny hand in his as they walked home from school, Cesar’s little voice recounting his day to his older brother. Oscar listened as they walked. This was his favourite part of the day. Just him and Cesar, walking together, listening to his baby brothers stories, before they got home. Before he had to deal with real life. Before the reality of his world crashed over him once again.

Sometimes, Oscar would take the long way home. He’d take Cesar by the park, maybe buy him an ice cream or a pop if he had enough change in his pocket. Anything to make Cesar smile. Anything to avoid going home sooner than he had to. He knew what waited for them there. Or, more often, what wasn’t waiting there for them. So he found little moments to steal. Memories to soak up, and save for later for when he needed them; when he needed something to think about that didn’t involve his dad not being there, or his mother passed out high on the sofa.

They walked up the front steps, Cesar’s little hands sticky with what was left form the ice-cream cone he had finished only moments earlier. Oscar opened the door, and saw his mother flat out on the sofa, her right arm and leg hanging off the edge, a needle still stuck in her arm. Oscar picked Cesar up, who was none the wiser, and carried him into his room. “Stay here, mano. I’ll be back in a minute.” Oscar said before closing the door.

Oscar walked back into the living room, picking trash up as he went. “Mami.” He said, moving closer to his mother, scanning the ground for any needles as he moved. “Mami.” He said again, gently shaking his mothers shoulder to try and rouse her. He had done this more times than he could count. She would usually pass out on the sofa after she got high, and Oscar would rouse her as best he could, and move her to her bedroom. He didn’t want Cesar to see her like this. He didn’t want these to be the memories that Cesar carried with him the way that he did. “Mami.” He said again, this time a little louder, pushing on her shoulder with more force. It was then that he noticed the puddle of vomit that had pooled on the floor underneath his mothers mouth. He looked at her more closely, and noticed her lips and cheeks covered in it as well. He began to panic, the reality of the situation still not fully sinking in. “Mami! Wake up!” He yelled, panic beginning to wash over him. He shoved her, this time with both hands, but she didn’t wake. He put his face to her chest, his ear resting against her heart, but he heard nothing.

Oscar stood up, his hands on his head, and he began to breath hard and fast. “Fuck!” He yelled, and he heard Cesar’s door open.

“Oscar?” He heard Cesar call.

“Get back in your room!” He yelled, and his brother did what he was told. Oscar moved back towards his mother, pulling her lifeless body to the floor. He laid her on her back, and tried to remember what he could of the CPR they had taught to him in school. He had seen someone perform it once, at the local pool. A little boy had gone under the water, and hadn’t come back up. They had managed to get him breathing again, and he had been fine. That thought ran through Oscar’s mind now as he placed his hands, one on top of the other, atop his mothers chest. He pressed down hard, counting as he went. He tilted her head back, not bothering to wipe away the vomit before pressing his lips to hers, and breathed his air into her lungs. He must have done this for ten straight minutes before he ran to the phone to call 911. But then his mind went to Cesar. If paramedics came, so would the police. They’d take one look at this situation and they’d put them into foster care. They’d take Cesar from him, and he’d never see him again. He’d known enough people who’d been put into the system to know that this was true. He looked at the phone, and then back at his mother, and he dialled 911.

After he hung up the phone, he continued to preform CPR on his mother. When the paramedics arrived, Oscar’s arms were burring, and his face was soaked in tears and sweat. As he watched the paramedics take over chest compressions, everything went silent. Oscar stood and staggered backwards as he watched his mothers lifeless body shake with every chest compression. He moved towards his brothers room, and closed the door behind him. “Cesar.” He said placing his hands on either side of his brothers face. “I need you to do something.” He said, his voice low and serious. Cesar looked at him, his brown eyes wide with fear.

“What’s going on Oscar?” Cesar’s gaze moved from his brother to his bedroom door. “I want mami.”

“I know, mano. You have to do something, alright? I need you to be a big boy right now and do exactly what I tell you, alright?” Cesar nodded, his little face twisting in confusion. “I need you to crawl out of your window, and run over to Mrs. Gonzalez’s house as fast as you can. Tell her I sent you over. Tell her the police are here, and you need to stay with her for a little bit.” Cesar looked up at his brother as Oscar gave him directions. “Don’t worry, mano.” Oscar said placing a kiss to the crown of his little brothers head. “Everything’s going to be alright. I’ll come and get you later tonight.” Oscar moved towards the bedroom window and opened it quietly. He peered out, making sure there were no police watching as he lifted Cesar out the window. He watched Cesar as he ran across the yards, and towards Mrs. Gonzalez’s house. He waited until Cesar was inside before heading back to the living room. When he got there, the paramedics were no longer doing CPR, but were standing, talking to a police officer. His mothers motionless body was still laying on the floor where he had placed her. He knew before they even told him that she was gone, but he didn’t want to believe it. He didn’t know how to process it.

The officer and the paramedics turned to look at him. One of the paramedics, a woman who looked around the same age as his mother, walked towards him, a pained expression on her face. “I’m sorry, mijo.” She said, and Oscar knew. He knew that she was gone. “We did everything we could.” She said.

Oscar moved to sit on the sofa, his eyes coming to rest on his mothers body. Then he heard a mans voice, much more stern and much less patient than the voice of the paramedic had been.

“Who is this woman to you? Your sister? Your mother?” Oscar turned to look at the cop, and his sadness slowly began to turn into anger. The officer wasn’t looking at Oscar, but at the note pad in his hand, waiting for a response to his question.

“My mother.” Oscar said, his voice cracking.  
“Are there any other minors in the house? Any adults? Any weapons that I should be aware of?” Oscar stared at the cop, tears streaming down his face, a hot range rising in his chest. His mothers lifeless body was still laying on the floor, and all this pig could think about was if there were any guns in the house.

“Why?” Oscar asked, moving to stand, and the cops eyes moved from his notebook to the young man standing in front of him. “Because we’re all the same to you, right? We’re all just criminals and gang bangers?” The officer slipped his notebook back into his chest pocket, all the while maintaining eye contact with Oscar.

“Is there gonna be a problem here?” The officer said, his hand moving closer to his firearm. Oscars eyes followed the cops hand, and then darted back to his face. There was a tense moment of silence before Oscar spoke again.

“No other minors. No adults. No weapons.” The last part had been a lie, but Oscar doubted the cop would waste his time searching his house for any weapons. And even if he did, Oscar had hidden them all well enough that the officer would never find them. The cop let his eyes scan over Oscar one last time before turning to leave.

“Social services will be here some time tonight or tomorrow.” And with that, he was gone. Oscar had seen enough of his friends taken away by CPS to know that it took them a while to show up. Especially if there weren’t babies involved. Social Services wouldn’t be showing up tonight. For all they knew at the moment, it was only Oscar living here. And his father was still listed as his and Cesar’s guardian. No, he knew he had the night to figure out what he was going to do when CPS actually did show up

Oscar turned to see the paramedics lifting his mother off the ground and placing her into a body bag on a gurney. The female paramedic walked over to him. “How old are you, mijo?” She asked.

“18.” He lied. And she looked at him knowingly, as though she knew he wasn’t being honest with her.

“Is there anyone you can call? I can wait with you until they get here.” Oscars eyes were glued to the floor, and he could feel tears begin to sting his eyes again. He clenched his fists as tight as he could until he felt his eyes clear. He looked up to meet the paramedics gaze.

“My father will be home soon. I don’t need you to wait here with me.” She looked at him, her face shifting to a look of resignation, and she nodded.

“I’m sorry.” She said before turning to leave.

…

Oscar stared at his phone, knowing what had to be done, but not wanting to do it. He dialled Ray’s number and waited. It rang and rang, but no one answered. For all he knew, his father was in jail again. When he heard the beep, he closed his eyes and took a breath to steady himself. He left a message. “Ray, its Oscar.” He paused closing his eyes and clenching his free hand into a fist as tight as he could to stop his tears. “Mom’s dead. I need you to come over to the house as soon as you get this message. Child Services is gonna be here tomorrow, and if you’re not here…” Oscar paused, fear sitting heavy in his chest as the thought of what would happen if CPS showed up and found that there were no adults or guardians living here. He let the next words come out of his mouth “If there’s not a parent or guardian here when they get here tomorrow, they’re gonna take Cesar and put him into foster care.” Oscar took breath before finishing the message. “Just be here.” He hung up.

…

Oscar walked across the backyards until he reached Mrs. Gonzalez’s house. The lights were on, and he rapped softly on the door. A moment later, a tiny elderly woman opened the door.

“Everything alright, miho?” She asked. Oscar looked at the old woman, her skin wrinkled, her long silver hair pulled up into a bun.

“Mami's dead.” He said.

“Ay, mijo!” She gasped. She moved towards Oscar, and pulled him into a hug. Even at only 15, he towered over her. But he let himself collapse into her embrace. He couldn’t remember the last time someone aside from Cesar had hugged him, and for a moment, he pretended that Mrs. Gonzalez was his mother.

…

Oscar carried Cesar’s tiny sleeping frame across the yards. He looked down at him as he walked. How was he supposed to tell Cesar that their mother was dead? Would he even understand?

“Hey, compa” He heard a mans voice calling out to him in the dark. Oscar stopped, looking around as he searched for the person the voice had come form. And then he saw him. Louis Rodriguez was a gangster that lived across the street from Oscar. He had been a Santos his entire life.“What was all that commotion about today?” He said motioning towards Oscars house. Oscar looked at Louis, unsure if he should tell him the truth or not, so he opted for somewhere in between.

“My mom.” Oscar said. Louis looked at him, a bemused smile creeping onto his face.

“That’s all you got to say?” Louis said. Oscar could feel the anger building inside of him again, and he knew he should know better, but the words left his mouth before he could stop himself.

“What’s your fucking problem, ese? What difference does it make to you?” Oscar shouted at the silhouetted figure across the street. The smile was now gone from Louis’ face and he moved to cross the street, walking towards Oscar. Oscar stood tall, prepared for whatever might come next. When Louis stopped in front of him, he looked down at Cesar sleeping in Oscars arms. Oscars grip on Cesar tightened.

“I know your dad.” Louis said.

“Congratulations.” Oscar laughed, “That makes one of us.” Louis looked at Oscar, his face shifting into a look of understanding.

“I know that your dads not around. And I know that your madre’s not coming home.” Oscar clenched his teeth as he felt the tears sting at his eyes once again. “And I know Social Services is gonna be here tomorrow to check to make sure you’ve got a parent living with you. And if they find out that there isn’t one…” he said, looking down at Cesar, and then back at Oscar, “well, mano, your familia is gonna get even smaller tomorrow.”

“What do you want?” Oscar said through gritted teeth.

“I just wanna help you out, little homie.” Louis said. That’s what families do, right? And that’s what the Santos are. A family. Your papa’s a Santos, and so are you, and so is he.”

Oscar looked at Louis, and then down at Cesar.

“Doesn’t look like you’ve got much of a choice, mano.”

…

When CPS showed up the next day, Louis was the first to greet them on the front porch.

“Mr. Diaz?” The woman said.

“Please, call me Ray.” Louis said. They talked for a long time before she came into the house. Oscar was quiet for most of her visit, speaking only when he had to. Cesar clung to Oscars leg. Even if the lady had questioned Cesar on whether or not Louis was who he was claiming to be, Cesar didn’t know their dad well enough to know the difference between Ray and Louis.

When Social Services left, Oscar ushered Cesar back to his room, and came back into the living room where Louise was still standing. Louis looked at Oscar, his face spreading into a smile that never met his eyes. “I got a job for you.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys liked this! Let me know in the comments or my Inbox what other Oscar related fics you'd like to read, and I'll see what I can do 😊


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